Buckle.



C. B. KURTZ.

BUCKLE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 12, 1911.

1,050,470. Patented 13,11 14,1913.

WITNESSES INVENTOR COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 110.. WASHINGTON. n. c.

nnrrsn srarns PATENT orrion.

CYRUS B. KURTZ, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO.

BUCKLE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed May 12, 1911.

Patented Jan. 14,1913. Serial No. 628,838.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CYRUS B. KURTZ, of Cleveland, Guyahoga county, Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Buckles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved buckle, with straps applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a side view of the same; Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view with one of the straps shown in dotted lines; and Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the buckle, with the straps removed and the bail member shown as swung downwardly in full lines.

My invention has relation to buckles, and while used for a variety of purposes, has been more particularly designed as a buckle for automobile top straps.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and efficient buckle of this character which can be readily manufactured.

A further object of the invention is to provide a buckle having means by which a strap can be drawn tighter than is possible with the ordinary buckle.

My improved buckle comprises a frame composed of the connected at one end by the end bar 3, and also have an intermediate connection by a cross bar 4, on which is pivoted the tongue 5. The side bars 2 are shown as narrowed inwardly beyond the cross-bar 4 so as to reduce the width of the frame at this end portion. The side bars 2 are connected at the opposite end by a guard loop 6, which is raised above the plane of the side bars. Below this guard loop 6, the side bars are extended downwardly to form lugs or cars 7, to which is pivotally connected a bail mem her, which consists of side arms 8, end connecting bar 9, and an intermediate bar 10. The side bars 8 are arranged to move upwardly between the side bars 2 of the main frame, and the end bar 9 is offset upwardly above the plane of the side bars 8. Each of the side bars 8 also has a stop flange or lug 11 which prevents the bail from moving beyond a position slightly past the central plane of the main buckle frame.

12 designates the upper strap, and 13 the lower strap. The strap 12 is inserted through the loop of the main frame between the bars 3 and at, and is engaged with the J tongue 5.

one of the holes.

two side bars 2, which are Its end is then passed underneath the end bar 9 of the bail member, and also underneath the guard bar 6 of the main frame. The strap 13 is formed with a loop 14, which is engaged with the cross-bar 10 of the bail member. It will be readily seen that the pull or tension on the straps will cause the upper strap 12 to be tightly clamped by the action of the bail member, which tends to press said strap downwardly between the side bars of the main frame and effectively prevents the strap being thrown out of position bythe vibration of the velVhen the buckle is applied to the strap the strap 12 is passed under the front bar 3 and the tongue -5 is inserted through The bail is then swung under the plane of the buckle and up into position to receive the end of the strap 12.

lVith the ordinary buckle through which a strap is pulled and then fastened by inserting a tongue in a hole of the strap, the entire slack of the strap can not be taken up, owing to the bend of the strap over the bar of the buckle. My improved buckle enables substantially all of the slack to be taken up, since after the tongue is engaged with the strap in the usual manner, the movement of the bail, as described, takes 11 all hlooseness and makes the strap perfectly tig' t.

I do not desire to limit cise construction shown, as it is obvious that various changes can be made in the details of construction and arrangement of parts, without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

hat I claim is l. The herein described buckle, comprising a frame having a tongue bar and a myself to the prea bail member pivoted to the frame adjacent to said loop and having a transverse strap-attaching member, said bail member being capable of swinging forwardly and upwardly between the side members of the frame, and a loop at the front end of said bail member arranged to lie above the plane of the buckle frame; substantially as described.

2. The herein described buckle, comprising a having a tongue bar near the front end thereof and a tongue carried by said bar, a cross bar connecting the frame in front of the tongue bar, a loop connected to l upwardly, and stops on the bottom of the the rear end or the frame and lying in a bail for engaging the side members of the plane above the plane in which the tongue buckle frame when said bail is swung into bar and the bar coi'inecting the front end of position; substantially as described. the frame lie, a bail member pivoted to the In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set rear end of he frame below the loop and my hand. lying betx veen the side members of the GYRUg B. KUBTZ :trame, a transverse strap-attaching bar on the bail between its ends a loop at one end Witnesses:

Lo of said bail lying in the same plane as the RALPH Hess, loop on the frame when the ball is swung L. l). EtILLQ Bellies this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

